


The Will of a Father's Wish

by Eggsyobsessed



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas Miracles, Christmas Time, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Happy Ending, Lee Unwin POV, Mentions of temporary character death, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21788515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggsyobsessed/pseuds/Eggsyobsessed
Summary: After Lee's death, once he ends up in heaven, he's granted the ability to watch over his family. But throughout the years wishes he could be there for his son, until it comes true.---Or the 5 times Lee wished he could be with Eggsy on Christmas, and the one time he doesn't have to.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 32





	The Will of a Father's Wish

**Author's Note:**

> So. This is one of those fics where I had a dream about it. A specific scene of Lee and Eggsy having Christmas lunch together, with a little child involved as well, years later but Lee thought he was dead. 
> 
> Of course that meant I was going to write it, and somehow wrote nearly 5K on it. 
> 
> There are mentions of religion, God, and major character death - THAT IS TEMPORARY - but with a happy ending. This is a happily ever after type story! Promise! 
> 
> This is un-beta'd so I apologize for any errors, but wanted to get this out to the world and share. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy, and if you choose to read PLEASE remember it ends happy? And I love you?

\---

1

The smirk of their enemy was the last Lee truly remembered before making the brash decision to push his mentor out of the way, save the three other men in the room, and stop the grenade. It didn’t hurt, maybe it should have, it was quick and virtually painless. A loud blast filled his ears, it was the final thing he heard, not the joyful giggle out of his young boy, or the way his wife sighed when Lee placed a soft kiss behind her ear. And he thought perhaps his last moments should be filled with happiness, ones where he had grown old and got to watch his son grow up and become a man.

But that wasn’t his fate, a mistake is what he had come to understand. Lee had never believed in heaven or hell, you just sort of died and that was all. Just a void, everything black and nothing left to be seen. But that isn’t what he saw.

Lee sat on a bench in a garden full of trees, wild flowers, butterflies flew around him, and birds chirped in the distance. He was alone, not another soul to be found, and maybe he hadn’t died and it was all a dream. He knew that was bullshit, as a man just seemed to step through the sky in the distance. Lee supposed this was God, or whoever their maker was? Or maybe he was high on some pretty spectacular pain meds. He hadn’t had anything stronger than morphine for a broken leg during basic training, but it was only once because he hated the way it made him feel.

“This is not the effects of a high.” Stranger man smiled, crinkled his cocoa colored skin, as he continued forward. “Why make you feel like anything that never brought you joy in life?” He asked while taking a seat beside Lee. With a wave of his hand the world seemed to change, it shimmered, the edges rippled a bit until Lee could see the confines of his flat.

His boy, Eggsy, sat on the carpet with the snow globe Lee had gifted him before his departure. Michelle was with a man, Harry, who explained their family would be without a husband, without a father, this Christmas and all going forward.

“That’s...how the fuck did you do that?” Lee asked, perplexed. It was like watching a movie, but it didn’t have a happy ending, and Lee wished he could pause it or stop it. He wanted to take the VHS tape out of the player he couldn’t see.

“We can’t stop, nor pause, time, Lee.” He was patient, expectant, as Lee screamed.

This man didn’t offer condolences, any form of comfort, just allowed Lee to get it out. At first he was pissed, if this was heaven why wasn’t he feeling all floaty and endless warmth of elation.

“Because you wouldn’t want that,” he answered Lee’s unspoken question, and okay that was fucking annoying.

But he was right, Lee wouldn’t want that. He didn’t want the touch of someone he didn’t know. Lee wanted to hold his son, he wanted to tell Michelle everything would be okay and that he was sorry for having enlisted in the Marines, for leaving home, for joining Kingsman. But he couldn’t, so instead he watched how she crumpled, and then told their little boy that daddy wasn’t coming home.

Lee was drained by the end and wondered why the fuck anyone would show that to a newly dead person.

“You’d have asked.”

Instead of getting angry, Lee felt peaceful. “Yeah,” he said. “I would have.” Lee was a curious man, but he also had grave concerns for his family, above all else.

“What now?” he inquired. The sky going back to normal, like it were a perfect sunny day in June. It was then that Lee recognized it as Hyde Park, a spot he had found on a day just like this one, in June, so Eggsy could learn to fly his kite.

“That is up to you. You may stay here, a place that brought you great joy, or you may come with me.”

Lee could hear Eggsy’s giggles in the distance; he wanted to run to him and kiss his cheeks just to make the sound last a little longer.

“I want to stay,” Lee decided. His company nodded their head, stood, and went off into the direction they had came. “Wait!” Lee called, just before the world could swallow him up again. “Can I see them? I mean...is there a way?”

The man smiled kindly, a knowing grin that wrinkled his face so, as he dug into the pocket of his maroon robe and tossed something at Lee. It was a remote, an honest to God telly remote; he had to giggle.

“We come up with new ways to program for each individual, and you do the best with something right in front of your face rather than thinking about it.” It had options, ones for Eggsy, ones for Michelle and time frames.

“Hey!” Lee called again, stopping him once more. “Ain’t God supposed to wear white?” he asked cheekily.

“White gets dirty easily.” He winked and the universe seemed to mold around him until he was gone.

Lee didn’t mind being alone, but he also didn’t mind tuning into Christmas Day where Eggsy was all smiles and happily ripping paper apart. Michelle even cracked a smile, and maybe things would be okay for them, Lee could hope.

\---

2

The first four years, past his death, weren’t as bad as they could be, and Lee rested a little easier knowing that. He was able to customize his heaven, it was interesting that each person’s was different and tailored to their likes. Lee had managed to morph it so he had a tent; he always wanted to take Eggsy camping, and he spent many nights gazing at the stars that seemed to go on forever. Wishing, and not for the first time, he could be with his son.

But tonight he watched Eggsy, it was Christmas Eve and he was saying his prayers. Lee felt comfort that they had found peace with the local church. He had never been a religious man, Michelle had a little faith but they had agreed to allow their children find their way. Well, child, since Eggsy would forever be an only child.

He pushed the thought aside to listen to the little voice, that seemed to change over the years and his son was approaching his teens; God help Michelle. Lee heard a chuckle in the distance, God always watching.

“And watch over mum, yeah. Know she’s been having it hard lately. It’s the fourth year without my dad, and she misses him.” Lee always assumed, at least from the stories he’d been told, you don’t feel sadness in heaven but that was far from the truth. “I’ve been trying to be good for her, not get under feet and pick up my mess, but she’s a bit lost.” He watched a single tear slip down his boys face. “Kinda both feeling lost these days.”

Lee listened to the closing prayer, his heart tipped each time Eggsy said goodnight to him just like he had when he was a wee thing, before going to sleep.

And just like each night that Lee peaked in, he read Eggsy a story from memory, because apparently you had an infinite memory in heaven, and watched his son smile; Lee always wondered if Eggsys could hear him.

That Christmas morning, though, Eggsy only had two small gifts to open, Michelle with tears in her eyes because she couldn’t provide more, but their boy was a kind soul and promised it was fine as long as they had each other.

For the first time that day, Lee wished he could be there.

\---

3

Lee watched from a distance, never able to reach out and touch, comfort, like he wanted to, and saw as Dean knocked them around.

It was Christmas, for fucks sake, and his son was earning himself a shiner for the holidays. Not the football Eggsy had been eyeing for most of the year, or the jacket he had tossed hints about. No, his son got a black eye, and if only because Michelle had been so doped up she couldn’t help him. It was one of those things, another point in time, where Lee wished he had the ability to manifest down and help them.

A myth, God had told him, that no one who crossed over could visit the living. Perhaps if Lee had ended up in purgatory, a space between heaven and hell, then he could. But apparently to gain such power, it would take years, and likely by then Eggsy would be grown and out of the house having his own family; Lee prayed Eggsy would get his own family.

He saw how Eggsy managed to duck the second right hook, bobbed and weaved, his gymnastic skills paying off. Lee knew Mrs. Carson down the way was planning to gift Eggsy more lessons, but he could hear, feel, the way Eggsy’s mind was made up.

Dean knew his weakness, had used it against Eggsy a few times. He always hung the well being of Michelle over Eggsy’s head, and since Lee wasn’t around anymore Eggsy promised to take care of her.

Lee always thought her capable, but apparently the blokes who had actual morals and values lacked interest in his wife...or what was she now? It didn’t matter as he tracked Eggsy from their flat, down a few doors, to Jamal’s. A good boy to be sure, Lee remembered his mother and father. They were a young couple, younger than himself and Michelle, with a toddler who was just three years younger than Eggsy.

He was thankful for the young man who pulled his son in, applied a frozen bag of veggies to his eye, and promised a roof over Eggsy’s head. No matter how grateful for the small group of people Eggsy had, it still never lessened the sour feeling in Lee’s stomach or the overbearing desire to be with his son on Christmas, and every day of his life.

\---

4

“She’s beautiful mum.” Lee sat in the grass, a blanket below him, and smiled as his son rocked the small little bundle around. “Got a name for her yet?”

It was Christmas morning, early Christmas morning, and Michelle had just given birth to a beautiful little girl. Lee was curious how anyone that looked like Dean, could produce something so cute and precious.

“What you think, Dean?” Michelle spoke loud enough to wake him. Lee hadn’t slept a wink when Eggsy was born, too terrified he’d miss the moment he came out and into the world.

A million things floated through his mind, like how Eggsy was all red and wailed so loud it pierced his ears, but he’d go deaf just to hear it again. His son was a man now, a young man, but no longer a little boy and he looked so much like Lee’s side of the family. Eggsy wore the same cheeky smile he did, and on more than one occasion Michelle addressed him as such.

Eggsy had grown into his own, unfortunately down the same path his stepfather had, but still managed to be twice as clever, three times as fast as the other men working for Dean. Lee wouldn’t say he was proud, but at least Eggsy wasn’t on the streets selling himself.

Lee saw the irritation redden his son’s face as Dean looked up, gave a shrug, and snored on like he hadn’t just became a father. Men like that didn’t deserve children, but one thing he had learned over the years was that everything happened for a reason, at least that’s what God reminded him.

“Oi! You just had a daughter, yeah?” Eggsy spoke up. No matter how many cracked ribs he got in the past, or black eyes, Lee’s son was forever like him. It was one of Lee’s downfalls in the Marines, his inability to hold his tongue, and boy was he sorry sometimes.

That was the reason he was in this mess, he had caused enough trouble he had been sent off to his superior, who just so happened to be a Kingsman, he later found out, and recruited to replace Lancelot.

Dean seemed to be pulled out of his slumber, shushing Michelle as he went and yelled, “Shut that fucking kid up!” As their newborn daughter cried. “What was it you said, Muggsy?”

Eggsy stood his ground. “You heard me.”

Lee wished he could stand between Eggsy and the fist that met his jaw, not enough to break a bone, but enough to dislocate it. And instead of spending time with his new sister, mother, and opening the small gifts his son had knicked, Eggsy spent it in the emergency to reset his jaw. Lee wanted to be with him, just hold him and tell him the future would be brighter, but all he could do was watch from heaven and feel more useless than he’s ever felt before.

\---

5

As much as he believed the future would be brighter, and it had looked that way for a bit, Lee couldn’t promise it.

Wishes were so far from his brain, because no amount of yearning, hope to be able to sit beside his son on Christmas, would help him.

Lee looked to the sky that once held a beautiful sunset, soft pinks, striking yellows, oranges, and reds lit the sky as night approached. But now all he could see was his son’s pale face, paler than it ever had been in the past, his hair styled with precision of a seasoned Kingsman agent and dressed in a bespoke suit.

Galahad. His son had accomplished what Lee couldn’t, followed in his footsteps but on his own path. Like father like son, but did it have to be so similar?

He wanted to look away, to turn this version of Eggsy’s fortieth Christmas off. This wasn’t supposed to be the way. His son wasn’t to take a knife to the kidney, multiple times, for his fellow agent.

The once stark white carpet stained red with Eggsy’s blood, no matter how much the girl pressed, it kept coming, and they knew. Lee could see it in Eggsy’s eyes and the way he told her it would be fine, that he had his dad waiting for him. He screamed up to the sky, because it wasn’t his time; Lee felt it in his bones. His son had, admittedly, grown older than he ever could, but why was life so funny that Eggsy was destined to sacrifice himself, just as Lee had?

Silent wishes and prayers were sent up and echoed back to Lee, and he knew there was nothing he could do, as what he saw went black. Just as black as the night sky, and in the distance a bright white light shone, and the silhouette of a man - who resembled so much of himself - stepped through.

The light seemed to get brighter, so much so it was blinding, and Lee couldn’t see anything else. He raised a hand to his face, trying to block it out, when he heard a loud noise, almost like a siren.

No. A beeping. It was a loud nasally thing, like an alarm clock. Why the fuck was an alarm clock sounding in heaven?

\---

+1

Lee blinked his eyes, the bright light shining in his eyes and it was fucking annoying. He grumbled trying to find the source of the sound, and why the fuck was everything blurry? Lee didn’t have eye issues and in heaven wouldn’t everything be obsolete?

Apparently not as he got his bearings and sat on the side of a bed with a groan; why the fuck did his muscles ache? A bed he had no recollection of being in, and noted the alarm clock on a mahogany night stand with a pair of glasses beside it. At least that’s what it looked like, he could make the shape out just fine, a little distorted, but honestly with the fucking way he is waking up, Lee couldn’t be sure.

He palmed at the plastic until he found a switch, that he prayed was the off switch, and got the clock to stop blaring. It was quiet, but not the same kind of quiet he had been used to for just about thirty five years.

This was so silent it almost bothered him, Lee would welcome the ringing in his ears of the clock over this. He found what he assumed to be a remote and turned on the telly. And apparently he had a telly in his room. It wasn’t anything like he was used to, no this thing seemed to be embedded into the wall and flush with the plaster.

Lee was sure he had been seeing things, and just to be humorous he placed the glasses on his face and holy fucking shit he could see again.

“Very funny God,” he snarked aloud, but no one answered. The only thing he heard was a woman talk about weather from the weird telly on the wall. Lee looked around, a bit skeptical that this was some odd prank, because he was fucking sure he was just about to see his son in heaven.

“A way to cheer me up?” He called out loud. No answer.

He frowned to himself as he climbed out of bed. Odd. He never remembered a crick in his left hip, but whatever. Lee wandered into the loo to take care of business and didn’t ever remember needing to piss, but whatever he was going along with the game God seemed to be playing. It wasn’t until he had washed his hands, did he even give notice to his reflection in the mirror, and had to do a double take.

“What the-” Lee touched his face. It looked like him, but didn’t, felt like his skin but softer. The calluses scraped against wrinkles as he moved to the creases around his eyes, mouth, before hands ran through silver hair.

“This...this is impossible,” he whispered to himself, because no one was there. Lee was alone in a strange house, that somehow contained things Lee would decorate with, and old.

If he had to guess he was in his sixties. Lee backed out of the bathroom and hit a table where he knocked off a picture frame. With shaky hands Lee grabbed it, and what he saw caused him to drop it and run off.

\---

Most of the day was spent with Lee tearing apart every inch of his home, looking for any sort of evidence this was real, or wasn’t, or he really didn’t know anymore. All he could find were pictures over the years, ones with his son, some with him, Michelle, and Eggsy, and others where it was just he and Eggsy.

He wrecked his brain, tried hard to think of a logical explanation, but all he could do was sit on the beige colored sofa in HIS sitting room, which was decorated beautifully for Christmas with gifts neatly stacked underneath a festive tree, and look out the window. It was snowing big, fluffy, white flakes that stuck to the grass and coated his drive.

The shrill of an incoming text caused him to jump, dropping his phone, and snap out of the daze he had been in for about four hours. Lee gathered himself enough to read from the sender.

_See you at 1! Camden is so excited his Papa is in town for Christmas._

Lee would have wondered who the fuck it was had he not looked at the name above, and when the hell did he ever refer to Eggsy as ‘Gary’? Maybe it was a joke? There was what seemed to be a little laughing face beside it. He stared at it for an unseeable amount of time, because how did you text back? There were no buttons to push and make the letters go. He fucked with it for a bit, and somehow managed to call his son.

“Happy Christmas, dad!” Lee could hear how grown up Eggsy was, how happy he sounded, could hear the smile in his voice; his heart warmed. He could also detect a joyful laugh, one that clearly belonged to a child, and the eager excitement for the phone. “Settle down! We won’t see papa,” Eggsy warned on the other line, it cracked a smile on Lee’s face.

“Camden has barely sat since he woke me up, at _five_ this morning.” Eggsy got loud but the child giggled with glee. “He’s done nothing but talk about Christmas lunch with papa and presents later. Not like someone didn’t get enough from Father Christmas.”

“Never enough toys, daddy,” a small voice replied, exasperated. “I wanna say Happy Christmas!” Lee could almost feel the eyebrow raise in the pause that followed. “Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaase,” an eager one whined.

“Fine. Hold on dad.” Lee hadn’t said a word since on the phone, but somehow Eggsy treated it like it were nothing.

“Hi papa! Happy Christmas!” It was like Lee was transported back many years, all the way to when Eggsy was a little boy so happy and so excited on Christmas morning; he felt a few tears slip down his face. “We gotted you something _amazing_! It’s-” Camden was cut off and replaced by Eggsy.

“We are _not_ telling papa his gift, yeah. That ruins it all. Now go wash up, we gotta leave in a mo.” Lee could hear little feet stomp and grumbles get faint in the distance. “He’s a ball of energy. I swear his mother gave him pure sugar before dropping him off.”

Lee straightened up a bit at that. “Why would she drop him off?” he wondered.

There was a short pause before Eggsy answered. “Dad...Gwen and I have been divorced since Cam was two.” Lee could hear the worry in his son’s voice. “That concussion clear up? I know you said you hit your head at Kingsman.” Lee would have answered that but Eggsy went on to say, “Anyway, we will be there around one. I made sure to prep the sour cream rolls last night! They are in the oven now.”

“You are coming here?”

“Yeah, dad. Been coming to your house for Christmas since I was twelve.”

“Shouldn’t I wait for your mother…?”

“Fuck, dad, you sure you’re good? She’s in Venice with Sean.”

“And Sean is?”

“Her husband of twenty bloody years! Dad, I’m coming over there and getting you to A&E.” Lee could hear Eggsy get shoes on and rustle with a coat. “Camden! Come on, we gotta run to papa’s!”

“Eggsy wait, no, I’m fine. I’m okay. I just...fell asleep on the couch and had an odd dream. It has me all confused.” Lee heard Eggsy continue to get ready, but was slower about it now. “I’m fine. I swear down.” Eggsy sighed on the other line. “I will see you guys soon. I look forward to it.” And that was an understatement of the year.

“Alright. Alright! But if you act weird I’m taking you in.” He smiled at how fatherly his son sounded.

“Agreed,” Lee swore. “Now don’t let the rolls burn, you did that three years ago,” he blurted out, not thinking; he wondered where that came from.

“Oi! One time dad, one time!”

“I’ll see you soon.” Lee was about to hang up before he quickly said, “Love you, Eggsy. You know I love you, yeah?”

“Yeah dad, I know you love me. Only tell me that every time we get off the phone.” He was sure Eggsy had a cheeky grin on his face. “Bye, dad, love you too,” Eggsy chuckled and hung up.

Lee stared at his phone for a bit, a huge grin on his face. He just noticed the picture on his screen was of Eggsy, clearly in his early forties, and a little boy who couldn’t be older than eight.

He spent the next few hours preparing a meal he never thought he had the skills to make, but apparently his body knew. Lee looked at his phone a few times, a couple work emails, something about an upcoming mission and that explained why Eggsy said concussion from work. He wondered if Eggsy knew what he really did.

As the day moved on, and the closer he got to one in the afternoon, the more Lee recalled. A life he should have lived, one where Harry had caught the grenade during the search. He won Lancelot fair and square, and Eggsy had the life Lee had always wished he had. The only thing he wished would have stayed intact was the family Eggsy deserved, but from what he gathered of their conversation, Eggsy had little regrets and sounded happy.

Lee hoped Michelle was happy, as well.

And a grandson. Lee was a grandfather, Eggsy had a family. A bit broken, but it didn’t appear he was upset about that. Just as quickly he thought of it, the sound of his door swinging open, a stern voice chiding a little person to take their boots off before running in, overpowered his thoughts.

Lee could make out the sounds of tiny feet barrel down hardwoods with a frantic, “Walk! Do not run!” Called after the little boy who charged in and right into Lee. And somehow, with years of practice he supposed, Lee scooped him up to hug close.

Camden was soft, warm, and energetic. “Happy Christmas!” he shouted, causing Lee’s ears to ring. Camden’s little arms wound around his neck in a vice grip and held tightly.

“Happy Christmas,” Lee responded once he found his voice. He returned the hug in earnest, holding onto the small body as snug as he could, and almost missed his son standing in the doorway.

He wore a fond smile that creased his face in a way that reminded Lee of a boy, not much younger than the one in his arms.

Lee managed to hold Camden on a hip and offer his free arm to his own boy. “Happy Christmas, Eggsy.” He couldn’t help the tears that sprung his eyes, spilled over and down his face, even if he wanted to.

Because it felt like years, decades, since he’s been able to hold his son. Eggsy’s hug was just as he remembered, a lot stronger now, but just as loving.

“Happy Christmas, dad.” Lee was thankful Eggsy didn’t comment on the state he was in.

The moment was quickly gone when Camden hopped on his hip. “We need to open presents, papa!” He insisted.

“Right.” Lee couldn’t help himself and kissed his soft cheek. “Why don’t you go pick yours out.” He let Cam down.

“Do not open anything without us, young man!” Eggsy called after him. “Woah!” He nearly toppled Eggsy over as he wrapped his son in a hug.

“I’m so happy to see you,” he said, voice wet with tears. “I’ve missed you.” Lee knew he was acting ‘weird’ as Eggsy would call it, but he’d gone most of Eggsy’s life without this. He was relieved Eggsy hugged him back and didn’t ask questions.

“Saw you just two weeks ago for tea, but happy to see you, too, dad.” He breathed in Eggsy, forced his brain to remember how he felt, smelled, and how he was a few centimeters taller.

He pulled back to cup Eggsy’s face.

“What?” Eggsy smiled, but there was a little worry in his eyes.

Lee didn’t care and just looked at him. He had a handsome son, and he was whole, alive and in one piece.

“Nothing, just...feeling a bit emotional this Christmas.”

Eggsy smiled warmly. “Got sappy in your old age, eh?” Lee whacked his son on the arm.

“Don’t be a little shit.” He went on to say more, but stopped when they heard quick thumping down the hall.

“Daddy! Papa! Presents! Father Christmas came here too!” Camden ran up and yanked at each arm. “Come oooooon. Hugs later.”

“Be patient,” Eggsy scolded softly but followed. “Bring tea dad?”

“Of course.” Lee got the kettle going, grabbed the tin of tea bags, and took mugs out when he noticed a note beside the coffee machine.

It was a thick piece of card stock paper, a message scrolled in pristine cursive that read:

_Sometimes if you wish upon stars enough, they come true._

_Happy Christmas, Lee. Enjoy your family._

_-G_

He looked at it far too long, as if the letters would jump off the page, and didn’t even notice the kettle screaming.

“Dad, you need help?” Eggsy wandered in. “Who’s that from?” He cocked his chin to the paper in Lee’s hand.

“Oh, this? Something from the neighbor,” he lied smoothly. Lee folded it neatly and set it aside. “Here, I’ve got it. Go make sure Cam isn’t opening each gift.” Eggsy gave him a knowing eye roll and darted off.

“Happy Christmas, God,” Lee whispered, and went to join his small family.

And Lee could have sworn he heard the familiar chuckle of a man, with a bright crinkly smile, dressed in a maroon robe.

Yeah, Lee would enjoy his family.

**Author's Note:**

> If you gave it a read, thank you so much! I appreciate it. Comments and kudos are so appreciated and welcomed. 
> 
> Come bug me on tumblr! @eggsyobsesssed - I love making new friends :).


End file.
